


The Last Hope

by Galactique



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Drama, Dystopia, Family Fluff, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Jedi Finn, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Redeemed Ben Solo, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 13:19:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9898904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galactique/pseuds/Galactique
Summary: Young Sheev Palpatine finds himself mysteriously transported to a bleak future where the First Order reigns supreme and the only Force users holding back the darkness are Luke, Rey, Finn, and a redeemed Ben Solo.





	

Twenty-year-old Palpatine once thought he knew his place in the galaxy. After so many years of being beholden to his spiteful, unpleasant family on Naboo, he met Darth Plagueis and broke free from his chains. He finally had a destiny. He was a driven, gifted, versatile, powerful Sith apprentice, always thirsting for more knowledge. He was politically astute and well liked by his peers. He loved studying and creating art in the gallery back at his late family's manor. He was a student of history, literature, and philosophy. He was ambitious, fiercely intelligent, and perceptive. The raw power and frightening darkness within him even made Plagueis nervous. 

But, one day it all fell apart. 

He wasn't sure what had caused his Master to lash out at him so severely. Plagueis was always a patient, soft-spoken instructor and even thought of Palpatine as a companion instead of a mere apprentice. So, he was hurt and confused when Plagueis flew into a rage after he failed a simple task and tortured him physically and mentally until Palpatine prayed for death. He shivered as he remembered the white-hot lightning tearing apart his nerves and the pain of his fractured bones. After the ordeal, Plagueis calmly announced that he had business to attend to.

"That means you have one day to pull yourself together and impress me," he said before swiftly departing, leaving Palpatine broken and nearly unconscious on the floor. 

Palpatine used what little strength he had to heal his shattered limbs, pack his things, and leave Naboo. He would never go back. Plagueis didn't own him. He would continue his studies by himself. 

So far, his new life was very liberating. He traveled across the galaxy, learning about the nature of the Force from the Sith world of Moraband to the spiritual moon of Jedha. He explored libraries and museums in remote parts of the Outer Rim. He talked to people who followed neither the light nor dark paths in the Force.

And now, he wandered the streets of Jedha City, bathing in its eccentricities. Even as a Sith, he could easily appreciate the cultural significance in the labyrinth of ancient buildings, narrow stone streets, and the towering Kyber Temple in the distance. The Force was strong here. Plagueis always said that in order to become a masterful Sith, one had to study the enemy and know their ways. It would be far too risky to sneak into the Jedi temple, so Palpatine settled with Jedha. 

No one gave him any suspicious glances. Most people would've laughed in disbelief if they found out that the fair young man with wavy red hair, soft blue eyes, and an innocent, kind-looking face was a Sith. Palpatine enjoyed using his handsome features and Nabooian regality to his benefit. It made manipulation so much easier. 

He rounded a corner and nearly collided with a young, dark-haired man carrying a bowl of fried meat and vegetables. Palpatine froze for a moment when he recognized the stranger's customary Jedi robes, but tried to remain impassive. He'd been excellent at concealing his Force powers ever since he was very young. Surely this young Jedi, who was probably an apprentice, wouldn't sense anything suspicious. 

"I'm sorry!" the Jedi said. "I should watch where I'm going."

"No worries," Palpatine said. He studied the Jedi for a moment before deciding to make casual conversation. "What brings you to this cold land?" 

"My master wanted me to study history away from the library for once," he replied. "I'm supposed to meet him up at the temple soon, but I got distracted. Do you live here?"

"No, but I'm fascinated by the culture. I like to collect artifacts around the galaxy," Palpatine said truthfully. Back on Naboo, he had loads of Sith trinkets that he'd collected all throughout his youth, including holocrons and ancient scrolls. 

"Then I have something to add to your collection," the Jedi said, digging into a pocket on the inside of his robe and procuring a rusted old lightsaber. He handed it to Palpatine. "A street vendor gave it to me. They claimed it's over a thousand years old."

Palpatine's eyes lit up when he held the weapon. He stepped back and ignited the blade, bathing the small street in yellow light. Plagueis hadn't allowed him to construct his own lightsaber yet, causing Palpatine to grow impatient, complaining so frequently that the Sith Lord threatened to make him wait a decade. 

Palpatine deactivated the lightsaber, barely able to contain his excitement. "Are you sure you don't want it? It's probably worth a lot of credits," he said.

"I'm not supposed to accept gifts. My master wouldn't be too happy," the Jedi said. 

"Well, thank you...um..."

"Qui-Gon Jinn."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Sio Bibble," Palpatine said pleasantly.

They gave eachother a parting bow and continued on their separate ways. 

Palpatine pocked the lightsaber inside his ornate, blue robes and strolled down the street with a renewed sense of confidence and even a rare feeling of true happiness. His plans were going flawlessly. He was a fool to ever think he needed Plagueis. 

It had nearly been a standard month since he ran off. He was better now than he ever had been. Or so he told himself. Some days he regretted his decision and seriously considered going back to Naboo and begging Plagueis to forgive him. As much as he hated to admit it, he felt empty and directionless without his master. But, he continuously tried to push those feelings aside as he went from place to place.

Little did he know that his life was about to change forever. 

*** 

When Palpatine rounded another corner, he was surprised at how comforted he felt by his temporary home. The inn was a dingy, mismatched concoction of crooked windows and poorly aligned floors, but it had a kitschy charm. It was time to say goodbye to this place. 

Palpatine let himself in and made his way up the crooked stairs (it was always a miracle that they didn't collapse) and down a hallway with flickering lights until he reached his destination. He slid his access card into the lock and entered the room. Not wasting another second, he packed his clothes, a small blaster, and other belongings into his travel pack and slung it over his shoulder. 

As interesting as he found Jedha, it was definitely time to depart. He'd already overstayed his welcome… and now the Jedi were milling about. He couldn't risk it. 

Suddenly, the door to the refresher opened. Palpatine jumped back in alarm as Darth Plagueis stepped out and silently walked toward him. Palpatine looked at the window, but was too frozen with terror to do anything. But, Plagueis merely sat on the edge of the bed and calmly folded his arms. 

"I borrowed your shower, Lord Sidious. I hope you didn't mind."

"What are you doing here?" Palpatine tried to sound bold, but it came out weak and pathetic. 

"Poor fool, you thought I wouldn't catch up to you eventually?" Plagueis said. "I was hoping you'd come to your senses and rejoin me on Naboo, but you made me waste valuable time hunting you down instead. Pity. I thought you were a better apprentice than this."

"I'm not your apprentice," Palpatine said furiously. "I'm never going back." Even as he said it, he knew it sounded hollow. 

Plagueis stared at him, his eyes blazing. "You're a confused, overemotional child. Stop this nonsense."

"You hurt me," Palpatine said, blinking back tears. 

"Yes, and I would do it again. Pain is the way of the dark side. It only makes you stronger."

Palpatine shook his head.

Sighing, Plagueis stood up and closed the distance between them. He traced a long finger over Palpatine's fine-boned face, smiling maliciously. Palpatine shivered. 

"Don't forget who holds the power in this relationship," Plagueis hissed. He clenched his other hand and Palpatine felt his throat constrict. "Do you realize how easy it would be to undo my carefully woven cover-ups and tell Theed what really happened to the Palpatine family?"

Palpatine clutched at his neck as the room spun around him. Finally, Plagueis released his hold and he gasped for air. 

As Palpatine reoriented himself, his tears were flowing freely. He hastily wiped them away and looked up at Plagueis. "I--I'm so confused. I thought the Sith path was right for me, but I don't know… I don't know."

Plagueis held out his hand. "Then come with me and you needn't be confused again, Sidious."

Truth be told, Plagueis was the only true friend Palpatine had in the whole galaxy. No one cared about his welfare, not even his parents. Without Plagueis, Palpatine was nothing but a lonely, directionless wanderer. Despite his arrogant nature and the pride in his newfound independence, part of him was grateful that Plagueis went looking for him. 

Palpatine reached out his hand toward his Master. 

And then there was a flash of blinding white light and everything went black.

*** 

When Palpatine opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a hill surrounded by endless fields of tall, golden grass and mounds of rock that stretched under a sunny, deep blue sky. A soft breeze stirred the air. 

He hastily looked down at his belongings and made sure he still had his lightsaber. Everything was intact, thankfully. Now he needed to figure out where he was and what Plagueis had done to him. Was this a test? He was a fool for trusting his master to let him go home without some sort of punishment. 

He spotted a small village at the foot of a nearby hill and cautiously walked toward it. When he strolled through the streets, everything was eerily quiet. The buildings were abandoned and sun-faded. 

"Master?" he called, looking around. 

Silence. 

He pushed open the door to a nearby abode and stepped into a dimly lit room. The ground was covered in broken glass, splintered wood, and upturned furniture. The walls were scorched with what looked like blaster marks. He crept through the wreckage and nearly toppled over in fright when he accidentally stepped on a hologram and it loudly crackled to life, displaying an image of a tired young woman. 

"Mother, if you're still on Lothal, you need to leave. The First Order called for the eradication of the entire planet due to Resistance sympathy in the local government. Leave before it's too late. I don't know how much longer I can hide, but I want you to be safe. And whatever you do, stay away from the Core Worlds. Supreme Leader Snoke is cracking down mercilessly. Please, get--" The rest of the message faded into indecipherable noise as the image flickered and sputtered. 

Palpatine stumbled back outside, rubbing his temples. "Am I dead, drugged, or what? Master where are you?" he muttered. 

He explored the outskirts of the city and discovered a curious, large mass of dirt and stone that stretched for several meters. Nothing grew over it. The display seemed out-of-place for the area, like someone had buried...

"Don't look into that any further," a voice said. "You won't like what you find."

Palpatine turned around and faced a tall, handsome man with long dark hair and wintry skin. He had a large scar across his face and his eyes were filled with sorrow and anger. He stared at the soil, jaw clenched. 

"Who are you?" the man asked after a long stretch of silence. His eyes narrowed as he took in Palpatine's lavish attire and well-groomed appearance. "One of Snoke's naïve puppet senators or some Core World noble?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Palpatine said, strolling forward to brush past the stranger and continue on his way. 

Suddenly, the man ignited a crossguard lightsaber, the crimson blade flickering dangerously. "You're not going anywhere until we know you're not a threat."

Palpatine had a lot of questions running through his mind, but there wasn’t time to think about that now. He Force-pushed the man out of the way and ran off, using the pain in his poorly healed legs to fuel his determination. The man caught up to him, but Palpatine blocked his blow with his lightsaber, letting his power gather. The feeling was intoxicating. 

He spun through the air and kicked his opponent hard in the face, sending him stumbling backward. While the man was unbalanced, Palpatine used the opportunity to hurl him through the window of a nearby building. 

But, the man proved to be unstoppable. He emerged from the debris even more furious than before. By now, Palpatine wasn't sure if he could hold him off much longer. He raised his lightsaber, ready for another round when someone shouted nearby.

"Ben!" 

A cloaked, bearded man with brilliant blue eyes and an air of authority marched toward them. He didn't look angry, merely surprised. 

The dark-haired man, Ben, deactivated his lightsaber and faced his acquaintance. "Luke, he was perusing the area and wouldn't tell me who he was. And he's a Force user, too. I was just trying to disarm him. What if he's one of Snoke's acolytes?" 

Palpatine gripped his lightsaber tighter, eyes roving over Luke and Ben as he put up his mental shields again, concealing himself from their prying gazes in the Force. Perhaps Plagueis meant for him to defeat both of these people. Or get information from them.

Luke gestured at him with a mechanical hand. "It's alright, we're not going to hurt you. You don't need that anymore," he said gently. 

Palpatine glared for a moment before reluctantly putting his weapon away. 

"Just tell me a little bit about yourself," Luke said. "Are you looking for family? It's unusual to see a Force-sensitive, especially one with a working lightsaber."

Palpatine burst out laughing before he could stop himself. "There are thousands of Jedi throughout the galaxy. Have you been in the Unknown Regions for most of your life?"

Luke and Ben exchanged a look. 

"Not since the Emperor's purge," Luke said, looking at Palpatine as if he had gone mad. 

"Supreme Emperor Snoke and the First Order?" Palpatine said. "I don't have time for this. I need to get back to Jedha City. Something isn't right with you people and your cult village." 

"Something's wrong with us?" Ben said incredulously. "You're the one going back to a place that was destroyed decades ago." 

Now, Palpatine was getting nervous. A chill ran up his spine as he stared at the sincere, weary faces of Luke and Ben. His heart raced wildly and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. 

"It can't be..." he said, falling to his knees in the grass as the truth began to dawn on him. There had to be some logical explanation. He refused to believe that he'd been sent into a nightmarish future where nothing made sense. Would he be trapped here forever? How did Plagueis even have the power to do such a thing?

"We should bring him back to base with us," Luke said quietly to Ben. "He's not well." 

"What if he's one of Snoke's?"

Luke tossled Ben's hair. "You were once one of his, too. Anyone can change for the better."

"I wish the others would see it that way," Ben said dejectedly. 

"It's a difficult process. Some people still don't believe the full story about your grandfather," Luke said. "Come on, I think we've been out in the open far too long today."

When Ben walked over to Palpatine, the young Naboo didn't try to run. It was as if time stood still, slowly blocking out all of the sound around him. All he could hear was his own beating heart and labored, anxious breathing as he willed himself to wake up from this terrible dream. Luke and Ben's conversation faded into muffled background noise. 

Ben stooped down and waved his hand in front of him and Palpatine knew no more.


End file.
